Design 101 teaches us that emotional connection is the ultimate goal for a brand, it takes years to develop, maybe decades but it's proven that consumers shop based on emotions the majority of the time (not necessity) specially in the US.

Apple does it, Nike does it, Levis does it, Starbucks does it, Coca Cola does it, man we could go on forever..

New York, June 19, 2001 -- New research published in the summer issue of the Gallup Management Journal (GMJ) shows that customers develop emotional, even passionate, ties to an extremely broad range of the products and services they use. The new findings, which contradict conventional marketing wisdom, suggest that companies in almost any industry can attract life-long customers.

many books have parables of all such type of shit. no single book i think tells it all because its very dynamic. just read a lot. if it was so easy as connect the dots everyone would be doing it. really its all about false contexts/concepts, getting one not to think logically but through emotions. if you get a person to think logically you have lost. you need priest like techniques. you want people to be thinking about what some else is thinking. be able to twist and bend reason. be vague mysterious. All kinds of shit. And always adapt angles until you find gold. And a big media budget, a lie told often enough becomes truth. oh yea also improtant change peopels value systems and setup conditioning barricades to support those that chose the values you wanted vs peopel who can explain why. power in numbers. anyone will likely believe what they want especially if its supported. but i guess read up on philosophy and politcial philosophy/religion/propaganda lenin/hitler/mao those types of deals and you can find some pretty good results.

There is substance to apple just like there is substance to real religions of the world. Problem is branding and marketing is an empty art form just like idol worship. Idol worship is to some interpretations against the ten commandments.

What's dangerous with Apple cult and the way fans react is that they don't question the Apple's business behavior and anti-competitive behavior . In the past 2-3 years it has been numerous examples of Apple's unethical and immoral behavior that tops the WORST in the industry, yet the consumers give them a pass and justify it as overblown, because they react the same way a cult member would. They don't question anything about their leader and simply will find the justification for any unethical, greedy, anti-competitive, anti-consumer behavior and see it as totally acceptable because it's their cult leader doing it.

It is always fascinating and sad to me at the same time that I haven't found many other Apple users who can be critical of Apple in any way, shape or form. I use their products daily and I have A LOT of criticism and hate towards their business model. I'm not talking about polish or design of their products here which I like overall, it's the ideology and unethical and immoral approach to conducting their business. What's even more disturbing is that the same users who are being locked in and used by Apple continuously brag about how Apple makes a lot of money without understanding that Apple is able to do that BECAUSE of their anti-consumer stand and is nothing to be happy about.

I am yet to find a fan of their products who will be open and admit and criticize bad things they do. And that's one of the clearest indications that it's really a cult-like behavior.

well no.. because I look at them as tools and not status symbol or I get them due to some kind of evangelical, cult like dedication. I would NEVER EVER wait in line to buy their product or high five someone.

I have to use a Mac these days because I do stuff for their platform as well and they have a significant share of the market as well. I'm not really a good measurement but I can clearly see what and how Apple operates exactly because I use their products, I work tightly with their APIs and platform as well.

You can like a product but you don't have to be compliant and approve of every awful thing the company does.

To be perfectly honest I think the rise of Apple and the lock down approach they've pioneered does only bad things for progress and innovation overall.

It's funny, the most proprietary and closed up company preaching and criticizing Google for example in being not fully open or criticizing Adobe and Flash over HTML5? Hypocritical much?

You do see the irony and dishonesty there right? That by itself doesn't make the finish of their product worse, but it tells A LOT about the company itself.

I would like nothing more then to not have to use Apple products. I just love PC and I love everything that gives us choices even if it's a bit less "pretty".

Anyone that suggests that this behaviour is exclusive to Apple fans rather than fandom is a bit deluded.

The behaviour in the video is the same as at any red carpet event, or launch for any hot product.

The majority of Apple customers do not go to launch parties for products and wouldn't be screaming out loud. This is a very focused group of fanatics, that you get in any religion and any fan base, be it for people, a sports team, your favourite band, the latest Apple product or the latest Android OS release.

I hate this kind of journalism. It proves nothing and just drives stereotypes.

It's like going to France for a funeral, coming back and saying 'The French are a mopy bunch'.

'What's dangerous with Apple cult and the way fans react is that they don't question the Apple's business behavior and anti-competitive behavior.'

Your casual user wants a fancy phone that they can fling birds at pigs on and watch YouTube on. They shouldn't really have to care about the business behaviour. Surely that's something for the Competition Commission and other similar organisations.

It seems that you (Boz) struggle to understand that other people make their decisions based on a different set of criteria. You are a hypernerd and you develop for these platforms as a profession right? If this is the case, then you're probably making the right choice by deciding what product you like based on it's technical specification, business ethics e.t.c. This decision process is not for everyone.

I'm no hypernerd, but I am a bit geeky and at University I dabbled in Mobile development. I opted for an Android Phone as I could hack it easily and I could develop and distribute my App without having to conform to code standards. I chose Android for that reason.

If Android was a closed system like Apple, but they had some sexy rapid app prototyping software I'd still go with it, because whether their business structure is open or closed doesn't affect me.

I dislike Apple because of how closed-off they are. I dislike Apple as I find their products to be overhyped and horrendously overpriced. However, I respect these are simply opinions, and everyone is entitled to their own.

I get quite bothered by your rants, as you always opt for the 'I know more than you so you're wrong in your decision' approach. You shove your views down peoples mouths, telling them that their decisions are wrong, yet you call them the fanatic. You're just a soapbox preacher.